Kawai Musical Instruments

Since the 1970s, Kawai has pioneered the use of alternative materials to improve the consistency and stability of piano performance. In 1971, the company began to use acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a composite material, for parts of its piano actions to overcome the problems associated with the use of wood. Kawai design engineers reasoned that the tendency of wood to shrink and swell significantly with changes in humidity made it less than ideal for use in a piano action, where exacting tolerances must be maintained to ensure stable piano touch. So they gradually replaced selected wooden action parts with ABS parts that they believed would remain more stable, particularly over time as their pianos age.

According to Kawai,[3] scientific tests conducted by Professor Abdul Sadat at California Polytechnic University in 1998 found that Kawai's ABS action parts to be stronger than comparable wooden parts and far less susceptible to shrinking and swelling due to humidity. Kawai advertises[4] that its use of composite parts makes its piano actions more stable and consistent than those made by other manufacturers.

In 2002, Kawai introduced its Millennium III grand piano action with ABS-Carbon,[5] a new composite material that combined ABS with carbon fiber. The new material (dubbed ABS-Carbon) increased the strength of Kawai action parts, reducing their weight, which made the overall action operate faster (very important for control when playing repeated notes or trills). The addition of carbon fiber also increased the stiffness of ABS-Carbon action parts, allowing the action to produce more power for the player with less effort. Kawai contends that these advances in materials and design help its Millennium III action respond more accurately to the player's intentions with greater consistency over time.

Kawai custom made concert grand piano for Yoshiki (1993)

Kawai grand pianos have evolved steadily over the decades from the Model 500/600 built in the 1960s and 1970s, to the KG Series in the 1980s and early 1990s that became popular among teachers and institutions. During these years, Kawai grand pianos earned a reputation for long-term, stable performance even in heavy use. In 1996, Kawai introduced the RX Series grand pianos featuring the Ultra-Responsive ABS Action. The RX Series continued to evolve with the introduction of the Millennium III Action with ABS-Carbon in 2004. In 2009, the RX BLAK Series debuted with a new Acoustic Resonant Solid Spruce soundboard and the addition of Phenolic Stabilizers on the hammers that further enhanced the precision of the hammer strike for improved tone and consistency. The RX BLAK Series pianos also incorporated many cosmetic changes.

In 1999, Kawai introduced the Shigeru Kawai grand piano series.[6] These pianos are handmade by highly skilled technicians in a separate facility of Ryuyo Grand Piano Factory in Hamamatsu.[7] Shigeru Kawai pianos are recognized as one of the best pianos in the world[8][9] and are used in concerts and piano competitions all over the world alongside pianos manufactured by companies like Bösendorfer, Steinway, Yamaha and Fazioli.[10][11] The Shigeru Kawai SK-EX full concert grand piano was introduced in 2001, and chosen as the official piano of the 2002 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition.[12]

In 2013, Kawai introduced the GX BLAK Performance Series line of grand pianos.[7] In Japanese, the word kuro (black) suggests wisdom, experience and nobility.[13] Improvements include a stretcher-overlap integrated design (SOLID) and Konsei Katagi blended rim design for improved tone projection.[5]

In 2015, Kawai introduced the GL Series line of grand pianos.[14]

The current Kawai Grand Piano product line consists of the following models:[15]

• Shigeru Kawai
  • SK-EX: 278 cm (9’1”)
  • SK-7: 229 cm (7’6”)
  • SK-6: 214 cm (7’0”)
  • SK-5: 200 cm (6’7”)
  • SK-3: 188 cm (6’2”)
  • SK-2: 180 cm (5’11”)
• GX BLAK Performance Series
  • GX-7 Semi Concert Grand Piano: 229 cm (7’6”)
  • GX-6 Orchestra Grand Piano: 214 cm (7’0”)
  • GX-5 Chamber Grand Piano: 200 cm (6’7”)
  • GX-3 Conservatory Grand Piano: 188 cm (6’2”)
  • GX-2 Classic Salon Grand Piano: 180 cm (5’11”)
  • GX-1 Classic Grand Piano: 166 cm (5’5″)
• GL Series
  • GL-50 Conservatory Grand Piano: 188 cm (6’2″)
  • GL-40 Classic Salon Grand Piano: 180 cm (5’11”)
  • GL-30 Classic Grand Piano: 166 cm (5’5″)
  • GL-20 Classic Baby Grand Piano: 157 cm (5’2″)
  • GL-10 Classic Baby Grand Piano: 153 cm (5’0″)
• EX Concert Grand Piano: 276 cm (9’0”)
• CR-40A Crystal Grand Piano: 185 cm (6'1")

Inside of the Kawaii Continental Upright

Kawai upright pianos are divided into four classes - K Series Professional, Designer Series, Institutional Series and Continental Series.[16] Kawai K Series Professional Uprights range in height from 114 cm to 134 cm (45" to 53"). All have Kawai's Millennium III Upright Action with ABS-Carbon.[17]

The current Kawai Upright Piano product line consists of the following models:[18]

• K Series Professional
  • K-800: 134 cm (53″)
  • K-700: 130 cm (51″)
  • K-600: 134 cm (53″)
  • K-500: 130 cm (51″)
  • K-400: 122 cm (48″)
  • K-300: 122 cm (48″)
  • K-200: 114 cm (45″)
• Designer Series
  • 907 Designer Studio: 117 cm (46 1/2")
  • 607 Designer Console: 113 cm (44 1/2")
  • 508 Decorator Console: 113 cm (44 1/2")
• Institutional Series
  • ST1: 117.5 cm (46”)
  • 506N: 113 cm (44 1/2")
• Continental Series
  • K-15: 110 cm (43.3")
• ND-21: 121 cm (47 1/2")

Kawai digital pianos are divided into 6 classes - CA Series, CN Series, KDP Series, ES Portable Series, MP Series, and DG30 Digital Grand Piano.[19]

The current Kawai Digital Piano product line consists of the following models:[20]

• CA Series
  • CA99
  • CA79
  • CA59
  • CA49
• CN Series
  • CN39
  • CN29
• KDP Series
  • KDP110
  • KDP70
• ES Portable Series
  • ES920
  • ES520
  • ES110
• MP Series
  • MP11SE
  • MP7SE
• DG30 Digital Grand Piano

The current Kawai Hybrid Piano product line consists of the following models:[21]

• Novus series
  • NV10
  • NV5

Kawai started manufacturing synthesizers at the start of the 1980s under the brand name Teisco. These instruments were all analog and included the models: 60F, 110F, 100F, 100P, SX-210, SX-240, and SX-400. At some point, Kawai stopped using the "Teisco" brand and so some of these products can be found labelled either Teisco or Kawai.

During the second half of the '80s, Kawai developed and released a number of digital synthesizers. The most known of these are the K series: Kawai K1, K1m[22] K1mkII, K3[23] (SSM2044-based filters), K4 and K5.[24] These machines follow different synthesis approaches. The K4 use subtractive synthesis based on sampled waveforms, the K1 and K5 are additive synthesizers. The K1 is one of the first popular synthesizers that has no filter whatsoever; all sounds are made by stacking wave samples and applying frequency modulation. The K3 is hybrid in the sense that it does employ additive synthesis for waveform generation, but these waveforms are static and cannot be modulated as in a true additive synthesizer; instead, waveshaping is done using a low-pass filter, therefore characterizing this machine as a subtractive synthesizer. Uniquely for their price range, all instruments feature aftertouch. Kawai also manufactured rack versions of most of these instruments, Kawai Q-80 MIDI sequencer (1988),[25][26] and an external MIDI programming device, MM-16 MIDI Mixer (MIDI processor with slider controllers).[27]

Later developments resulted in Kawai Spectra KC10 (1990)[28] based on the K4 engine, along with a group of original multitimbral instruments, including Kawai PH-50 Pop Keyboard and its half-rack version PHm, and XS-1 sound module(1989),[29] and a group of General MIDI (GM) compatible instruments including Kawai KC20 GM Sound Keyboard (early 1990s), GMega sound module (early 1990s)[30] as an update of previous XS-1, and K11 (1993)[31] based on GMega and K1, etc.

Kawai K5000S (ca.1996)

In 1996 Kawai released the K5000, an advanced additive synthesizer that greatly improved on the K5 and is now regarded as one of Kawai's very best instruments "K5000 at Vintage Synth Explorer".. It was manufactured in three versions: K5000S, which had 16 knobs for real-time control and an arpeggiator, K5000W which added a sequencer but lacked both the knobs and the arpeggiator, and the K5000R, a rack version with an arpeggiator, but no sequencer and no knobs. A Knobs Macro Box was sold separately for use with the W and R models. Kawai originally planned to release K5000X, which would combine the features of the S and W models with a 76-key keyboard and enhanced memory, but this was cancelled in the late '90s due to bad sales. Shortly thereafter the company stopped producing synthesizers.

Kawai XD-5 (1989)

The Kawai R-100 and R50 drum machines were both manufactured from around 1987.[32][33] The Kawai XD-5, a drum synthesizer based on the K4 engine,[34] was produced in 1989-1990.

Kawai MORE series M-650 (1978)

See also: ja:ドリマトーン

Kawai produces a line of electronic organs under the name "Dreamatone".[35] Kawai also owns Lowrey organs. Kawai previously offered the MORE series, a home organ product line applying the high-end technology of their theater models, T-50 and T-30. The MORE series was merged into "Dreamatone" family in fall 1979.

The company also manufactures MIDI controllers.[36]

Kawai K1rII (1989)

Kawai K4r (1989)

Teisco 60F (ca.1980)